


On Repeat

by Wild_Card_Writing



Series: Memory Lane [1]
Category: Hikaru no Go
Genre: Gen, and very quiet, caught in a loop hikaru, experienced go player hikaru, go world is so not ready for hikaru, hikaru is super mature, hikaru lived through mutiple timetravel repeats, poor go world, sai has never more overjoyed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-22
Updated: 2017-07-21
Packaged: 2018-05-25 23:26:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6214384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wild_Card_Writing/pseuds/Wild_Card_Writing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hikaru’s stuck. Caught in a time loop, reliving his teenage years over and over again. Maybe this time, he'll get it right.</p>
<p>Poor go world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [esama](https://archiveofourown.org/users/esama/gifts).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (The original first chapter that was eaten by my computer, and now has been found.)
> 
> Or when Hikaru first arrives.

**Prologue**

He died.

And he lived.

‘This was the seventh time,’ Hikaru thought as he rubbed his eyes. Pushing his blanket off, he moved to his feet, and looked around his room, from his new, now smaller height.

It was going to be a pain to re-adjust.

Folding his blanket and grabbing some clothes, he got ready for school again.

“I hate school.” He said, tugging on his shirt, and getting his jacket. 

Walking out, he glances to the left corner of his room –the place Sai’s kaya board always was, in the past, and future– and walked out.

It was time.

~~~~~

Hikaru was at his grandfather place before he knew it. 

The house was still the same with its traditional tatami doors, and the small squat bushes, and the old antique charm, but Hikaru didn’t enter the front gates.  He wasn’t here to visit his grandfather, so he didn’t make himself known.

For now, he just wanted to see the place Sai was kept.

Moving off to the back of the yard he jumped on some blocks of wood and glanced into the only window in the rather small shed. He couldn’t quite see the goban right from his window angle but he’d make due. He really wanted to move closer to actually see him. But he didn’t.

He knew if he heard Sai, he’d bend and awaken him before he was able to make the necessary adjustments.

If he made his move now, he’d lose before he placed the first stone. The go world was anything but kind for those who ventured into it, and Hikaru wasn’t going in blind.

Not again.

He had enough of that in the first life, he didn’t need to repeat that particular experience.

Stepping off the pile of wood, and walking off he only glanced back once before leaving. He’d be back.

Soon.

**XXxxxxXX**

He was on the train again, this time heading in the opposite direction from his grandfather’s house, but not heading home.

He was going to a little go salon about twenty minutes from his house. It was small but a mildly busy place, close to Tokyo, that he stumbled upon in one of his previous lives but would suit his needs for the moment.

He needed to practice setting stones before he got either Sai or entered the go world.

He may have had his joseki, but the muscle memory was something he’d need to re-learn if he wanted to events to fall in place. So he was going to practice to regain the few skills he didn’t retain. So he came here, to the  _Empty Board_  to gain some experience again.

He didn’t have his own set of stones or even a small goban to practice on at home, nor did he have enough for a cheap set. So, for now, this would have to do.

Stepping in, he made his way to the counter and sliding forward the admission fee, he asked for the strongest players ignoring the rather pronounced glares he was getting from both the players behind him and the lady at the counter.

He was directed rather roughly to a set of older man in one of the corners, and walked off, ignoring the upset comments the people he passes made of him. He could care little about any of it and took his seat waiting for either the player in front of him to _nigiri_ or make a move.

Hikaru wasn’t surprised when instead of choosing for color the old man placed a single white stone on the board, his frown and displeasure evident on his face. No doubt, the old man thought him some newbie player who thought too much of his skills.

He replied instantly, and looked up at the clatter around them, noticing the circle of spectators surrounding them, as the next move was played. He replied again.

Over and over again.

He made a move and his opponent replied, fixing his posture little and little as the game continued improving his rather shaky stone placement and watching as the man in front of went from angry to surprised.

But, it was too late.

They were midway through  _chuuban_  when the old man finally bowed his head.

“I resign.” He muttered still in shock.

Around them, the atmosphere changed, but Hikaru wasn’t listening to either replaying the game in his head and making corrections for himself.

“Do you want to discuss the game?” He said rather quietly. A stark difference from that child he had been so many years ago.

“Yes, please.” The man said looking rather excited as Hikaru started his post lesson, falling back into teaching and rearranging stones explaining moves and possibilities.

While behind him, the sliding doors opened, a very famous, very old Kuwabara Honinbo walked in.

XXxxxxXX


	2. Manifest Thy Truth

He was nearly finished explaining his second game when he noticed him. He was watching from a corner a little to his left smoking a cigarette and watching with pensive eyes.

But Hikaru wasn’t fooled.

He had enough experience of reading people both on and off the go board to see that emotion hiding just below the surface. There was some surprise and even satisfaction, but mostly there was only one thought that cycled through his mind.

Kuwabara Hon’inbo was interested.

Both in him and his go.

But mostly him.

The fact that most Go players, the notable ones at least, should have been familiar to the old man and Hikaru wasn’t, spoke volumes. He was an unknown swimming in a sea of sharks. All hungry for new blood, new players to revive the lack of interest in go that had plagued Japan for many years. Sure, some of the other go pros might say what they want, but the situation was difficult for most Japanese go players aboard.

Kuwabara Hon’inbo was no different, he too, was a go professional, but unlike Morishita, or even Touya-Meijin, who simply took insei or go players with both experience and just the right amount of talent, Kuwabara was more eccentric.

He took anyone, as long as they interested him.

And Hikaru definitely interested the old man.

Hikaru resisted the urge to sign. This was exactly the situation he was trying to avoid.

Still, as Hikaru suggested another move, his mind was going. He hadn't expected the Hon’inbo to show up–that was true. But maybe, this could work to his advantage.

If he had the weight of someone powerful as a shield there was little anyone could do to push him around. Even Ogata would be pressured to act more reasonable if Kuwabara was involved….

Still, that was if Kuwabara made a move, Hikaru reminded himself. There was no reason to assume anything when he was talking about Kuwabara, so, for now, he’d just wait and see where this went.

For now, he'd to play more go.

XXxxxxxXX

He was interesting, the child.

Kuwabara thought, watching as the boy set up more games–obviously teaching games on more boards, this time not one but three. The handicaps were different, fours stones on one, and two on another and three on the last, and he was handing them with seeming ease.

Yet, there was also his posture that was even more intriguing.

From what he could speculate, the handling of the child's stones was improving, quickly. First, it was shaky, like a player trying to use an arm after an injury but little by little it improved over time. During his first game, he was holding the stones like a beginner but already, he was holding them differently. Not like a pro, not yet, but it was changing.

He glanced at the counter, remember the name that had been above his when he when he had signed in.

Shindou Hikaru.

To shine indeed.

He lit another cigarette and readied himself to wait for a game.

XXxxxxXX

Hikaru smiled at the older woman he was helping before put up the last of the stones when a shadow leaned over him. Standing across from him was none other the oldest of go pros.

“Would you like a game?” Hikaru asked rather quietly.

Kuwabara smiled rather gently and grinned as the patrons behind them gaped, whether it was because two powerful go players might actually have a match or because of how casual Hikaru’s question was, neither go player particularly cared.

Go was all that mattered.

“Why wouldn’t I want a game,” Kuwabara said extinguishing his tobacco and taking a seat across from Hikaru.

Hikaru handed the white go stones to the Hon’inbo and both said the stranded greeting before taking a stone and beginning.

XXxxxxXX

The game was similar to all the other games Hikaru had played against the man but different. Instead of the burning tension he remembered from the Go games he played as a pro, there was a playfulness Hikaru had never seen in the Hon'inbo’s play.

But that did not mean it was an easy game. Both players were using all their strength. Kuwabara with his decisive conventional attacks, and Hikaru with his trickery and very unconventional play that lead to fights all over the board.

Early chuuban was a battleground. The territory was fought over and over again. Some battles for the star points and others for groups of stones. Hikaru used everything he could, pulling moves from other games from previous lifetimes, and even from other pros. He played all over the place, here and there, sometimes like Sai and sometimes not, until finally, the game ended. Both players shifting back into their seats now that the tension was gone.

Around them, there was excited chattering while both Hikaru and Kuwabara counted territory both knowing full well what the score was.

121 to 125.

Kuwabara won even without the komi.

The old man chuckled excitedly, as he lit a new cigarette a decision forming in his mind.

“What is your name, child?”

Hikaru met his eyes, stubbornly. Other go players might fear the Hon'inbo, might be super polite in his presence but Hikaru had never been one of them. He had always been blunt, rough but even now in another loop, there were just some things that weren't going to change.

"Shindo. My name is Shindo Hikaru."

Kuwabara smiled and leaned forward.

"What do you think about becoming a pro, Shindo-kun?"

XXxxxXX

Author’s Note: More interesting stuff this chapter. Enjoy.

Will edit later. And before anyone says anything ,yes there was double updates today because I wasn’t able to post anything for the past few days.


End file.
